Tomorrow, saturday 7th october, a major interview with Princess Irene will appear in the left-leaning newspaper 'De Volkskrant'. The princess will give some political remarks, says that the western world and Al Quaida should start negociating with a neutral intermediary and she gives critisism on George Bush.
I hope I won't forget buying the newspaper tomorrow!

The queen must have a flashback to the 80-ties (wehen Irene was involved with anti-missile protests).

As Irene was no part of the Royal House anymorte it had no political consequenses. Publicly the queen did nothing, but in private it appears that there was a rift between the two sisters in those years.
I do not think that the queen will appreciate this, but well...Irene is just Irene :)

Joris posted a short but excellent version of the interview on the Benelux Royals MB, which I copied (vk = volkskrant):

'She doesn't allow herself to speak about Dutch politics but about some developments abroad she does thinks she has the freedom to speak as a private citizen.
The interview is about Leadership in general. This is the issue because she gives courses in Leadership at her NatuurCollege.
I will not translate the long interview but of course the headline on the tv news yesterday was out of its context and the Princess didn't start expressing her 'opinion' about negotiations with Al Qu'ida herself.
De Volkskrant asked her something. This too was in the light of 'the image of Enemy' at the end of the interview.
But let me, to be careful, translate the passage which is important, although I find other passages like Leadership at enterprises (we have a think tank about that as well at our firm as well! 'It's in the air'), Female Leadership, Leaders in Private and Leaders at Work far more interesting.

Vk: Shortly after the attacks of 7 July in London PM Blair invited 25 Muslim leaders from the British community. What do you think of that sort of leadership?

Irene: 'Great that Blar does that sort of things! It's terribly important that he wished to listen to the spiritual leaders. They were able to say to Blair: those bomb attacks are not ours, it's a different kind of thinking.
He came to the conclusion that it's not the Islam which is the enemy and that extremists had been doing these things.
It would be a disaster if it would have been the case.
By this Blair breaks through the image of the Enemy. That I find beautiful leadership: show that you can listen to the other.'

Vk: Recently a number of international thinkers pleeded that Western leaders should have talks with Al-Qa'ida.

Irene: 'It would be wonderful if that happens. But in that case the Western leaders should drop their prejudices.
This is also the case for Al-Qa'ida. An indepent mediator who makes that process easier, one could very well think of. Someone who has the role to say: you are now speaking from your judgment. Can't you listen to what's the drive of the other?'

Vk: The opposition of the backbenchers of Western politicians against such peace negotiations will be very big.

Irene: 'Western government leaders must make that step. Talk with Al Qa'ida and by doing so show that you can break through the traditional image of the Enemy, with really open talks. If you don't give the other the opportunity, nothing will ever change.'

V: Is there something to discuss?
Irene: 'There is an awful lot to discuss between the leaders of Al Qa'ida and the Western leaders.
If killing is necessary: what is it you can't solve? Try to find each other exactly there.
It has to do with poverty, wrong relations and balances. Trade barriers which should be torn down. The differences between the have and the have-not's are completely out of balance.'

Vk: In the words of Bush and Blair to Al Qa'ida there are no hands reaching out. Al Qa'ida's second man, Zawahiri, talks besides threats also about 'mutual respect and co-operation'.

Irene: 'And why does that come as a surpise to you? Because we are thinking out of the image of the enemy and do not detach ourselves from our own truth. In stead of thinking: fantastic, this is an opportunity!'

Vk: But what can we talk about if the founding of a worldwide caliphate is aimed at?
Irene: 'There we have enormous prejudices. That's why it will probably only be possible by means of someone who stands halfway, and who is capable of getting the leaders out of their tunnel vision.
That would be incredible. That would be real 'servant leadership', that you are there for a higher cause.'
'There are also beautiful examples of leaders who started talking against all odds: Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Mandela and the Dalai Lama. Or who sent someone who started talking.' Vk: Threatening with 'vulcanos of anger' and new attacks doesn't seem fertile soil for a good talk.
Irene: 'This is even more a reason to start talking. Absolutely. We should not stick within in our own truth.
To avoid contact with others because they are wrong.
That's not how we get a solution.
Peace talks are the only way.'

The parents of Carlos-Hugo, Xavier and Madelaine of Parma were pleased with the marriage as Irene converted to cathlolisim, and she was from a reigning and rich family. The parents of CH were more fanatic about their claim then CH. When Xavier died his wife Madelaine blamed her son for the heart attack as CH was not as dedicated to the carlist cause any more, as a consequense she disenherited him and everything went to her youngest son.

The parents of Carlos-Hugo, Xavier and Madelaine of Parma were pleased with the marriage as Irene converted to cathlolisim, and she was from a reigning and rich family. The parents of CH were more fanatic about their claim then CH. When Xavier died his wife Madelaine blamed her son for the heart attack as CH was not as dedicated to the carlist cause any more, as a consequense she disenherited him and everything went to her youngest son.

Thanks for the summary Marengo.

What a story Carlos Hugo has! His mom disinheriting him while he was fighting a claim to the throne. What is the story with his brother now? Is he still alive and do they have other siblings?

The brother (not sure about the name but I think it is Sixte) is still alive and lives in France. He has no offspring and it is not very likely that he will ever have as he is not of the marrying kind. Some of the properties of the Parma's are believed to be restored with Irene's money. Maybe Sixte will name Carlos jr as his heir, but as he is not close to his borthers family he might leave it to the offspring of his eldest sister or to other parties.

CH and Sixte have 4 sisters, the eldest one Francoise is married to a prince Lobcowitcz and lives in Paris. One of her sons commited suicide for reasons related to drugs (I believe he had debts but I am not certain about it). The other three sisters, Marie-des-Neiges, Marie-Therese and Marie-Antoinette are single. The first two of them seem to be close to CH and participate in the occassional photoshoot of the family in Pioint de Vue sometimes.

BOSCH EN DUIN - 27 April 2006
Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema present on Wednesday in Bosch en Duin, the first exemplar of the book "Soldaat van Oranje" (The life of the Soldier of Orange) for Princess Irene.
The book is the definitive autobiography of Hazelhoff Roelfzema in which he does not only write about his war experiences, but also he describes the furrow then and after that time. Also he tells that in book plainly over its strong ties with members of the Royal House.

Two years ago,january 2004,Irene van Lippe-Biesterfeld invited former dutch MP,now reporter,Paul Rösenmuller to come visit her for an interview at her nature reserve in the Karoo desert,SA.She fell in love with Africa due to her fathers passion for the continent and while travelling with him through Africa.

She bought the reserve,aiming at restoring the balance off all species living there.Early on in the interview she says:"I have 7500 acres(?)..or,I have I have,I have nothing,I just try to restore the balance and am very fortunate and lucky to be able to do so.

Opening Forten en Stellingenmaand in Fort Uitermeer in Weesp. Opening of the month of the dutch fortress in fortress Uitermeer in Weesp. Prince Carlos de Bourbon de Parme ( son of Princes Irene en brother of Margarita ) attends the opening of the month of the dutch fortress, and has a part in a small play concerning the preservation of the dutch fortresses.

Last weekend an interview with prince Jaime de Bourbon-Parma was published in newspaper ´De Telegraaf´. From their website:

As tintin in Africa, according to the newspaper.

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TRF-member Henri M. posted a summary at the Benelux Royals MB:

Short summary: A year ago Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, the youngest son of Princess Irene and Prince Carlos-Hugo, travelled through Africa. It was a search for the source of all the wars on the African continent. Prince Jaime: "We travelled with the question in our minds: how is it possible that a continent, so rich in materials, remains so poor and is plagued again and again by wars?" During six weeks Prince Jaime travelled through Sierra Leone, Liberia and Congo. Prominent leaders, supporters from the former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor and eye-witnesses tell theor stories to the Prince. "I give the opportunity to both the offenders as to the victims" so stated the Prince "during our voyage we came to the conclusion that we all in the West -unconsciously- are partly responsible for what happens in Africa. All the conflicts are about money, diamonds, raw materials, hard wood, gold. As long as the international consumer keeps buying goods from these conflict areas. they -unwantedly and unintendedly- supports the purchase of arms and the wages of these soldiers."

Prince Jaime (33) has worked in conflictuous areas for years and is in the interviewer in these series. The Prince managed it to let people make bold statements. For an example Daniel Chea, the Liberian Minister of Defence who simply shows his pride about his own war-crimes and atrocities. The documentary is shown in three parts on 5, 12 and 19 September 2006 on Netherlands 2.